


The City of the Dead

by orphan_account



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic, The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - The Mummy Fusion, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Egyptian Deities, Ancient Egyptian Literature & Mythology, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crack Crossover, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Egyptology, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Lost Love, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Nightmares, POV Kevin Day, POV Neil Josten, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-The Mummy Returns, Reincarnation, Stream of Consciousness, The Mummy AU, Variations on Ancient Egyptian Religion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:14:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25433698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Kevin Day is an archaeologist who seeks the city of the dead and the treasures it contains to repay an old debt; Andrew Minyard is an ex-Legionnaire hopes to find a purpose to live for; Neil...well, Neil just wants to survive.----------------------------------------------Blood. It was everywhere. On his clothes. On his hands. The blood of his prince.Imhotep’s hands trembled as they caressed his lover’s face.Even in death, Prince Ninetjer was beautiful. He seemed to be sleeping and the high priest was tempted to tell him Wake up, my prince. The sun is about to rise, and we have so much to do.[...]Mariah coughed, her mouth got stained with blood."Burn my body - she said, her voice was shaking - Never lose what's in this bag. The box...the key...the key is here.""Which key?"Mariah didn't answer. The forces were leaving her, and it was more difficult for the woman to stay awake.Her last words were, "Never go to Hamunaptra...if you do ... you will be in danger... and not only you..."
Relationships: Kevin Day/Thea Muldani, Matt Boyd & Neil Josten, Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten & The Foxes (All For The Game), Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Nicky Hemmick & Andrew Minyard, Nicky Hemmick & Neil Josten, Nicky Hemmick/Erik Klose
Comments: 32
Kudos: 63





	1. Prologue -  Runaway

**Thebes, Egypt, 1290 BC**

  
Blood. It was everywhere. On his clothes. On his hands. The blood of his prince. Imhotep’s hands trembled as they caressed his lover’s face. Even in death, Prince Ninetjer was beautiful. He seemed to be sleeping and the high priest was tempted to tell him _Wake up, my prince. The sun is about to rise, and we have so much to do. The throne is waiting for you, my love.  
_ But Ninetjer wouldn't wake up, wouldn't he? The prince no longer belonged to that world. Ninetjer's soul was preparing for the journey to the afterlife, and soon he would find himself in front of Osiris.   
Imhotep hugged the body, holding it tight. _They still had so much to do...  
_ Imhotep won't let their story end like this. For Ninetjer, he will do something impossible. The gods will curse his name, humans will fear him. Imhotep will challenge Destiny, will defeat _death_ .   
"Soon...soon we will be together again, my love. Be patient," the high priest whispered, cradling the body.  
"Your accomplice won’t be alone for long - said a cold voice - You’re about to join him."  
Imhotep looked the killer of his love in the eyes, "You always believed you were better than me, Khaba. But in the end, we aren't different."  
Khaba replied outraged, "I never thought of betraying the Pharaoh."   
"Then you really are Seti's dog - Imhotep said - So faithful, Khaba. Faithful to blindness. Seti's time is over. Egypt needs a new Pharaoh."  
" It is the Gods who decide how much time to give us. If they want Pharaoh to rule, who are you to oppose?"  
Imhotep got up, the body of the prince still in his arms. There was something insane in his eyes.  
"Oh, didn't you know? The gods speak through me. I am the high priest, Khaba. I _do_ their will."   
"I see only a fool - said the general, pointing the sword at him - It's not the will of the gods you do, but yours."   
"What can a dog know about the gods? You know nothing, Khaba. And soon, you will be nothing."   
Shadows came out from behind the pillars: it was his priests. One of them knelt, apologizing for not having intervened earlier. There were other men outside the temple that they had to deal with.  
Khaba turned pale, hearing that his soldiers were all dead.  
"Kill him - the high priest ordered - Cut him down."  
Imhotep turned, while the priests surrounded the general. The last thing he heard before he left was Khaba’s screams of pain.

**Unknown location, Egypt, 1912**

  
His mother came to Nathaniel at night. She shook her son by the healthy shoulder, taking care not to press on the mark imprinted by her husband.  
Nathaniel awoke, and Mary said, "Hurry up, we’re leaving."   
"Where are we going?" the kid asked, getting out of bed and putting on his shoes.   
"Far from here - Mary replied, pushing him out the tent. - Tomorrow we will take a boat and go to Cairo."  
"Why?"   
Mary didn't stopped. She looked around to make sure no one was following them, "It's necessary. You aren't safe here. Your father..."  
A noise interrupted her. Mary dragged her son by the arm, and they hide behind a tend.   
It was one of Nathan's men, Nathaniel didn't remember his name. He seemed to be looking in their direction. Mary held her lips.   
"Wait for me here," she ordered, in a tone that didn't allow replies. Nathaniel obeyed, and saw Mary go to the man and slaughter him.   
It had been quick, the man hadn't had time to react.  
Mary beckoned him to approach, "Come here. We don’t have much time. There could be more."   
Approaching, he noticed something protruding from the woman's purse. It was a ruby necklace. Such a jewel could only come from one place.  
"Mom, did you steal from Pharaoh's treasure?"   
Stealing from Pharaoh was blasphemous. Every Medjai knew it. They had to protect Hamunaptra and what was in it. Including preventing the Creature from awakening.  
Mary replied, "I just took what I needed for our escape."  
"But..."  
"Nathaniel, Pharaoh Seti will understand. Actually, I'm sure that if he could, he would tell us to take more, or to kill your father. I can't kill Nathan, he's too powerful. But I can get you out of here, and thwart his plans."   
"Plans?"  
Mary put the dagger in the bag, and said, " Nathan is a traitor. What he wants to do... no one has ever dared..."  
For the first time, she seemed scared. Whatever Mary found out, it had to be terrifying.   
She recovered immediately, "Let's go, Nathaniel. We will buy food in the first village we find." 

**Alexandria, Egypt,** **1920**

The streets of Alexandria swarmed with life. Abram liked the city, it was big, noisy, and chaotic. It's the perfect hiding place: in that human maze, finding two fugitives like them was titanic.  
Well, the confusion could be used to surprise Abram if he wasn't careful, but his mother had taught him well. He kept his eyes wide open, all his senses on alert.   
It was difficult, there were many different people there, each could be sent by Nathan.  
Besides, even the Medjai were looking for them because Mariah had robbed the Pharaoh. For such a crime the punishment was death.   
But there was also another reason why the tribe was chasing Mariah and her son. It was too dangerous to let Abram live, especially now that they _knew_ Nathan's plans.   
Mariah was squeezing his shoulder to ensure that he wouldn't walk away from her.   
"My contact got us some camels - she said, seeming anxious - We'll be leaving Alexandria in a few hours. For a few weeks, we will settle in Fayyum. Then..."   
Mariah interrupted. She froze, her eyes wide open.  
"Mom?"  
"Abram, run."   
The boy didn't have it repeated. He had learned for years that if his mother ordered him to run, he had to obey. Abram run away. He didn't turn to see if his mother was following him. It wasn't sure.   
_Don’t attract attention. Be discreet, be invisible.  
_ It was easy to disappear into the crowd. People paid no attention to him, concentrated as they were in their little world. This made things easy for him. If they did not notice, they could not even tell his chasers to have seen him.   
Abram took refuge in an alley, near a bazaar.   
He would wait for his mother there, and didn't doubt that she would come. She always knew how to find her son. Abram sat there for hours, ignoring the gurgling of his stomach and fear.   
" _Mom will find me. She always does."  
_ It was almost night, the streets were empty, and there was no sign of Mariah.  
Abram wanted to go looking for her, but if he moved from there, he would be exposed. The boy stood there, waiting. He felt his heart in the throat.   
His eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but Abram forced himself to remain alert. Finally, towards the first light of dawn, Mariah arrived. She was limping and bleeding from a stomach injury. A wound like that should have killed her a long time ago.   
Mariah staggered towards Abram, and sank down beside him. She clung to Abram, and forced him to look her in the eye, "Take the bag and go away from Alexandria. Never stop running."  
"And you?"   
"I'm dying, Abram. My time is over. But yours no."   
Mariah coughed, her mouth got stained with blood.   
"Burn my body - she said, her voice was shaking - Never lose what's in this bag. The box...the key...the key is here."   
"Which key?"   
Mariah didn't answer. The forces were leaving her, and it was more difficult for the woman to stay awake.   
Her last words were, "Never go to Hamunaptra...if you do ... you will be in danger... and not only you..."   
She closed her eyes never to open them again. Abram had to stifle the pain he felt. The boy would cry later. He had to burn his mother's body first.

**Cairo, Egypt, 1922**

Abram spent his eighteenth birthday in a shabby local on the outskirts of Cairo, Eden's Twilight. The place was run by Americans, not much loved by the Egyptians, who considered them corrupters of youth and criminals.   
They weren't entirely wrong: Eden's Twilight was perfect if you were a fugitive, a thief, or a deserter, and needed to stay away from the authorities. Above all, it was cheap there.   
For someone like Abram, who ran out of money after ten years, it was perfect. His mother told the truth: from the Pharaoh, she had taken only the bare essentials _._ By now, Abram had sold everything she had stolen, except some rings, and a star-shaped box.   
The box was made of ivory, as large as the fist of his hand. It could not be considered precious in the strict sense, but he was sure it had some value. He still had to figure out what it was.  
"Aren't you too young to stay here?"  
Abram turned his head. Behind him was a blond boy, not much older than him. His blond hair was a mess, as if he had just finished fighting with someone.   
Abram responded, "I'm an adult."   
Technically, it was correct by Medjai standards. At sixteen, the training of boys ended, and adulthood began, with all the responsibilities connected with it.   
_Protect the city of the dead. Protect Pharaoh's treasure._ _Prevent the Creature from waking up.  
_"How old are you? Sixteen?" the man asked, sitting next to Abram.   
"I'm eighteenth."   
"Still too young to be here."   
"Why are you interested?"  
The man snorted, "I'm not interested. I want to avoid problems."   
"Me too."  
"So what are you doing here? It's not a place for kids."   
Abram noticed that he was staring at the box. His expression was impassive, but there was something in his eyes that Abram didn't like.  
"I told you, I'm not a kid - he replied, putting the box in the bag - And I'm not looking for problems. I stop here to eat and then go away."   
"Mm...to eat the shit which is cooked here, or you're running out of money, or you're hiding."   
"Little money," Abram said, hoping the answer would assuage the curiosity of the man.   
"Didn't you get much from the tomb you plundered?"  
Abram looked at him offended, "I'm not a tomb robber."   
The man rolled his eyes, as to say _don’t play with me, rookie.  
_"From how you dress, you look like one."  
"Appearances can be deceptive," Abram said, annoyed.  
It wasn't the first time he had been mistaken for a thief: Abram couldn't afford much, and he certainly wasn't wasting money on fresh clothes. His appearance was, at best, scruffy.  
Usually, this didn't bother Abram. As long as Abram didn't attract attention, it was okay to look like a street rat. But it irritated him to be judged so superficially by that stranger. " _You aren't better than me. You are hiding here too, aren't you?_ _What are you hiding from? Are you hiding from the police? From your accomplices? From the army? There are many options for those who come to Eden's Twilight."  
_The blonde shrugged, " I’m rarely wrong in my judgments."   
Before Abram could argue with something pungent, the waiter arrived, "Hi, Andrew. Will I bring you the usual?"   
"Yeah, Roland. This time, don’t try to fool me with some shit."  
"I won't - Roland swore and then looked at Abram - What do I bring to you?"  
"Water and koshari."   
Roland took the order and left, not before exchanging glances with Andrew. It had been a few seconds, but Abram had noticed. He didn't like it, but couldn't understand why.   
When Roland brought koshari, he was almost tempted not to eat and leave immediately. There could be poison in food or in water. The two may have decided to kill him and take his few belongings. But his stomach growled after weeks of forced fasting. He needed to eat, at least that evening.   
Reluctantly, he began to eat.  
_Just a bite,_ he told himself.  
_What I need to not pass out in the middle of the road. Then I go away.  
_He took a sip of water first and started eating under Roland's attentive gaze.   
Andrew was drinking, and he didn't seem to pay attention to him. Out of caution, Abram clutched the bag to his chest.   
His instincts were screaming at him to get out of there. He ate little, drank one last sip of water, and paid.   
Abram got out of there as quickly as possible, never turning around.   
He didn't slow down even when he was sure he was safe. Abram kept running until his legs gave way. He started sweating, his vision blurred, his brain stopped working. His body had stopped working, he was unable to move.  
_Poison.  
_Oh, Abram knew there was something in the food. He shouldn't have eaten.  
_Damned hunger.  
_If Mariah could see him, she would be so disappointed in Abram.   
Abram tried to take a few steps, but fell. His head hurts.  
_I can't believe I was so stupid. I should have known better.  
_Abram closed his eyes, apologizing to his mother for not being able to follow her instructions.   
Before he lost consciousness, he thought he heard Andrew's voice, " Thieves never learn." 

**Cairo, Egypt, one month later.  
  
**

So, Abram didn't die. Instead, he ended up in prison. Funny story: he had woken up an alley without his bag, and his head ached. Anger soon took the place of confusion, and Abram had taken it out on with the man who woke him up, imagining punching Andrew in the face. Who imagined that the man was a soldier?   
In this way, Abram had been arrested, and since he had no money or documents with him, he had ended up in prison. It was the first time he had stayed in one place for over a year.   
Abram ate almost every day, had a place to sleep, and didn’t have to worry about his father trying to kill him. Nathan would never have thought of looking for him in prison, he assumed that his son wasn't unwary.   
All in all, despite the loss of the bag, Abram wasn't unhappy. It was okay for him to stop running for a while. Things changed when one day a man came to see _him._  
"I’ve heard of you. My name is Kevin Day. I'm here to make you an offer."


	2. Deal with the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Ramses' mummy was discovered in 1881 and brought to the museum.  
> \- Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, therefore it is normal that characters talk about it in the fanfiction.

**One month earlier**

_The shadows hung over him. They were everywhere, oppressive and threatening._ _He tried to fight, but was soon disarmed and held by the arms.  
_ _The priests made him kneel beside the altar, pulling him by the hair and exposing his throat.  
_ _A dagger was pressed to his neck, "This is your end, general. May your journey into the afterlife be full of dangers and obstacles!"_

"Wake up, princess. I've got something for you."   
Kevin suddenly woke up, dropping books on the floor. Andrew was leaning against the doorjamb, looking at him inexpressively. He had a dirty bag with him.   
Kevin massaged his forehead, "Stop calling me _princess_ . I hate it."   
"I know."  
"You will continue to do it anyway, won't you?"  
"Maybe."  
Andrew threw the bag on the desk, "There's an interesting thing here."  
Kevin raised an eyebrow, curious, "Where’d you get that?"   
It wasn't unusual for Andrew to bring him artifacts or other things taken by grave robbers ** _._ ** The ex-Legionnaire knew many things that Kevin was unaware of, including everything related to the illegal trade of ancient relics.   
Kevin tried to ask him how he got those artifacts, but Andrew answered, "This is my damn business."  
Once, the archaeologist tried to follow him, but Andrew noticed, and took him on purpose to the wrong place.   
It was embarrassing for Kevin to be in the middle of the market, considering he couldn't speak Arabic.  
He had to spend hours explaining to a fabric seller that he wasn't interested in buying a rug, and in confusion, he lost sight of Andrew.   
In the end, Kevin was forced to buy a horrible Persian rug, and when he returned to the museum, Andrew was waiting for him with a box full of ushabti. He even asked him how his day was, that bastard!   
"I got it from a street rat at Eden's Twilight."  
"Andrew..."  
The blonde said, "Don’t make that face. The kid was a thief. I did everybody a damn favor by drugging him and stealing his bag."   
"Are you sure he was a thief?" asked Kevin.   
Andrew shrugged, "He dressed like one. Besides, he was suspect."  
"It’s not enough, Andrew. Maybe he was just a tramp."   
"Well, see what's in the bag. Then you tell me if I was right."  
There was no point in continuing to argue. So, Kevin opened the bag and pulled out a star-shaped box. He took it carefully in his hand.  
"You think a hobo could have something like that without stealing it?" asked Andrew. 

Kevin didn't reply. He was too busy analyzing the object.   
The box was in good condition, probably from the 19th dynasty, reign of Ramses II, or perhaps of Seti I.   
It must have come from a nobleman's tomb.   
"So? What do you think about it?"  
"It's interesting - Kevin admitted - I'd like to know where it came from. Where is your thief now?"   
"I don't know, and I don't care."  
"He could help us."  
The blonde rolled his eyes, "It is easier for him to run away as soon as he sees us. He is like a rabbit, flees when he feels threatened. I had to get him drugged to take the bag." 

Kevin raised an eyebrow. He didn't approve of the other man's methods, and they had already argued about this many times. It seemed they were going to have to continue the discussion.  
"Andrew, you cannot..."  
"Kevin!" a voice interrupted him.   
The two looked towards the door, Nicky had just arrived, visibly agitated and about to pass out.   
"Kevin, it's urgent. There is a person who wants to talk to you."   
"Who?"   
"Tetsuji Moriyama."   
Hearing that name, the archaeologist dropped the box.   
Andrew was yelling, but he didn't hear him. _Tetsuji Moriyama is here, and wanted to talk to Kevin. It won't end well.  
_ Kevin slowly got up from his chair, feeling his legs tremble.   
" Tell him I'm coming. I need...I need five minutes."   
Andrew growled, " You don't have to do it."  
"I have no choice."   
"I'll go to him."  
"And what will you do? Will you kill him? - Kevin asked, looking at his friend like he was crazy - Lord Tetsuji didn't come alone. Probably his henchmen are with him. You wouldn't even be able to get close to him.."   
"I made a promise."  
"Yeah...if Lord Tetsuji tries to do something, only in that case will you have to intervene. If he just wants to talk..."  
Andrew interrupted him, "Do you really think he's here just to talk Come on, you’re smarter than that!"

Kevin bit his lips. Andrew was right, and he knew it very well. He just wanted to lull himself into illusion for a few minutes.   
The archaeologist sighed, "I'd better go. Lord Tetsuji isn't a patient man."   
Helped by Andrew, Kevin left the room. The box was forgotten on the floor, a secret momentarily set aside.

_______________________

Tetsuji Moriyama was waiting for Kevin in the mummy room. Kevin hated that hall, considering disrespectful to exhibit the deads as if they were common artifacts. The American had talked about it with David Wymack, the director of the museum, who agreed with him.   
But Wymack continued, "For tourists, mummies are just an attraction like the Pyramids or the Sphinx. They would even be willing to buy one. As long as mummies stay in that hall, the museum will have a large number of visitors."  
It would have been better if the director had put mummies in the museum's reserves: now, seeing Tetsuji here, Kevin remembered of Anubis, the god of the necropolis.   
He was there to take Kevin to the afterlife. The archaeologist’s hands were shaking. He was scared, and not even the awareness that Andrew was here, hidden with Nicky, reassured him.  
Tetsuji Moriyama was dangerous. Kevin had lived with him for ten years, and some days wondered how he managed to survive.  
The American had hoped to be safe in Egypt, away from the power of the Moriyama, and finally free. He was stupid: Kevin was Lord Tetsuji's property, and there was nowhere to hide.  
"I’ve always found Egyptian civilization fascinating - said Tetsuji, the gaze fixed on Ramses' mummy - The Egyptians searched for the secret of immortality. And they found it in the mummification. Thanks to it, we can know the face of their kings. What do you think about it?"   
"Mummies can be destroyed. It's a very fragile immortality," Kevin said, trying to ignore the men outside the hall entrance.

 _I'm not trapped, and he didn’t come to kill me.  
_ Kevin kept telling himself that, but he was sweating cold.   
Tetsuji replied, "The Egyptian priests did everything they could to prevent the bodies of their Pharaohs being destroyed. Although they have not always succeeded, priests have preserved their memory. Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it."  
Kevin disagreed. The centuries passed, and the memory of the past weakened. New details were added, and others were forgotten. And often, it is almost impossible to distinguish myth from reality.   
As if he had read Kevin's mind, the man said, " Time can be relentless, but it can’t hide everything forever. And certain things may be rediscovered in times of need. Like the place where the Book of the Dead is kept."  
"The Bood of the Dead didn't exist," the archaeologist said.   
The Book od the Dead was the dream of all archaeologists, the ticket to fame. A lot of people searched it, and had always failed. It wasn't enough for them to find the papyrus in which some formulas of the Book were written. So, the searches for a myth ruined these men, some went mad, while others never returned home.   
"The Book exists, and I need it. I..."   
The man had a violent cough attack. For a while, his coughing was the only noise heard in the room. 

When Tetsuji finished coughing, his mouth was stained with blood.  
"Now, do you understand? - he said with a harsh voice. - Doctors diagnosed me with lung cancer. There is no cure. At best, I have a year left. I don't want to die, not now. I did some research, looking for alternative ways to delay the inevitable. And I found it. The Book could save my life."   
_So, you're just human.  
_ Sometimes, Kevin had doubted that Tetsuji Moriyama was human. The American had grown up believing Tetsuji was invincible, but in the end, he was mortal like everyone else.   
Kevin asked, "How do you know where the book is?"  
"I have my sources - said the man - And they are certain."  
"And do you trust them?"  
"When a man faces death, he clings to every possibility he finds to stay alive. The Book is the only hope I have left. And you will help me."  
"I?"  
The man smiled maliciously, "Who else has an interest in keeping me alive? You belong to me, Kevin. I was magnanimous, allowing you to live in Egypt. But if I died, you would become a property of Riko. And we both know how my grandson is less kind than me."  
 _Kind_ wasn't the word Kevin would use to describe Tetsuji Moriyama.   
_Filthy bastard,_ was more suitable for him.   
However, Riko was worse than his uncle: he enjoyed hurting people. Riko had broken Kevin's hand because he was envious, and would have continued to beat him if his uncle's men hadn't intervened. If Tetsuji died, Riko would have considered himself his owner, and would have forced Kevin to return to America and become his new toy.  
Even risking his life to find the Book of the Dead was a better alternative than that.  
"Where's the Book?"  
Tetsuji smiled, realizing he had won, "It's hidden in Hamunaptra."

The city of the dead. _Obviously._ Where else could the Book of the Dead be hidden? Hamunaptra was a popular legend among the Egyptians, but there was no scientific proof of its existence.   
"Hamunaptra" repeated the archaeologist with skepticism.  
"The city of Seti I."  
Tetsuji said, "I also thought Hamunaptra was a legend. When this person told me about the city, I didn't believe her. I'm not an idiot, and I don't like being deceived. However, she gave me irrefutable proof of the existence of the city of the dead."  
"A proof?"   
He snapped his fingers, and one of his henchmen approached Kevin and gave him a papyrus scroll. The archaeologist took it carefully and unrolled it. He caught his breath. That was a map for reaching _Hamunaptra.  
_ "It can't be authentic..."  
"I have already had it analyzed by trusted people -Tetsuji assured him - It's original. This map is over two thousand years old."

"Who gave it to you?"  
“Like I said, I have my sources - the man said, and then continued - It appears that Hamunaptra is not that hard to find after all. "  
Others would have seen the opportunity to make the discovery of the century. Howard Carter? An amateur compared to who had found the city of the dead. Others would have thought about what to do with Seti I's treasure. Instead, the American saw the possibility of getting rid of his debt.   
"If I find the Book ... what would I get?"   
"The thing you want most, Kevin."  
"This means..."  
"It means that you would no longer be considered a property of the Moriyama clan."   
Oh, that was very tempting. Living without fear of Moriyama revenge...well, Tetsuji was asking him a crazy thing, but Kevin was desperate enough to accept. In life, people always had to make compromises.  
"I will leave within this week," he said, ignoring the gaze of victory on the other's face.   
_I'm not doing it for you, bastard. This is for me.  
_ “I know you won't disappoint me, Kevin. Ah, and I recommend it: discretion. I have many enemies, and I'm sure some of them wouldn't take it well if they knew about your search for the Book."

 _They must be crazy like you to believe that a book has magical powers.  
_ Kevin didn't say it, but he thought about how to ask the director for funds to finance an expedition into the unknown. _It_ _will be fun._


	3. Fire

After Tetsuji and his men left, Kevin briefly explained the situation to Nicky and Andrew. Andrew had listened to him impassively, while Nicky had seemed on the verge of having a heart attack.

"Wait a minute...- Nicky said after a while - So, this Chinese crime lord gave you a map for a mythical city, with the task of finding a magical book, and you want to leave right away?" 

"Lord Tetsuji is Japanese," the archaeologist specified, studying the map again.

At a first superficial analysis, the papyrus looked original, as Mr. Moriyama had told him. But Kevin continued to be skeptical. Where did it come from? And why had Tetsuji's informant given it to him? Legends said that in Hamunaptra there was the treasure of pharaoh Seti I: anyone who had the map first, could have gone there and stolen everything, without risking being discovered. Instead, this person gave the map to Tetsuji. Now, it could have been a person indebted to the Moriyama and forced to sell Tetsuji the papyrus, but in that case, he or she had the solution to the problems at hand. 

Seti I's treasure could have repaid the debt. 

Hell, with that, someone could buy the Moriyama themselves. Why not take advantage of it?

"Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan... he is still a criminal who is sending you to die in the desert - Nicky underlined - You won't really believe that that map leads to Hamunaptra."

“The papyrus is original. I can't find anything wrong. It's perfect."

"Still, there is something that doesn't convince you," Andrew finally said, lighting up a cigarette.

In the premises of the museum, it was forbidden to smoke, but Kevin did not have the energy to scold him.

He sighed," Lord Tetsuji could send anyone to find the Book, yet he asked me."

"He knows you only have to lose if he dies."

“Maybe you are right, Andrew. But what if this were a trap? Maybe, he's organizing another expedition, and I'm serving to distract his enemies. "

"He gave the map to you," said the ex Legionnaire.

“He may have made a copy for the archaeologists on the real expedition. This serves to convince me that Hamunaptra is real and get me to leave - the archaeologist explained - To be honest, it's more in the style of Lord Tetsuji to make his victims believe they have a chance, and then kill them. In this case, someone else would do the dirty work. "

For a while, no one spoke, all lost in their own thoughts. At one point, Andrew looked Kevin in the eye, "Despite this, you still want to leave."

Nicky's eyes widened, "Kevin is insane, but not to this point... is he?"

Kevin dropped his shoulders, "Well ..."

"Oh no ... you really want to go!"

"Just think if I could really find Hamunaptra and the treasure of Seti I. It would be the discovery of the century, more important than that of Tutankhamun's tomb!"

"Andrew, please tell him something to make him come to his senses" Nicky pleaded with his cousin, looking at him as if he was the solution to all his problems. 

And technically Andrew was the voice of reason, since he was the only one capable of making Kevin change his mind. Sometimes. Unfortunately, Andrew disregarded Nicky's hopes, “If you want to go, do it. You have nothing to lose. "

"You can't be serious," Nicky whimpered.

“I'm serious - the blond replied - If the bastard dies, Kevin is in shit. If he leaves and it's a trap, he's in shit. Whatever he does, it will go wrong. We might as well try our luck and hope not to die right away."

"We?"

"We will go with him."

"Oh, my God."

"Thanks, Andrew, "Kevin said. 

Nicky asked, “Nobody thinks of Wymack? He is the one who should give permission for any archaeological expedition."

"I'll talk to him tomorrow. The director will understand," Kevin said, even though, if he had been in the place of the director, he would never have allowed a deadly expedition. 

"Well, if you've already made up your mind, I'm going," Andrew said, throwing the cigarette butt on the ground and stepping on it.

"Where are you going?" Nicky asked him.

“To find idiots desperate enough to accompany me, you and Kevin - Andrew replied - We need someone to do the dirty work, like to dig." 

"I never said I wanted to come. Do I have a say in this?" 

Andrew replied, "I'm doing you a favor." 

"Do you want to get me killed?" 

"No."

“I'm a librarian, Andrew! I don't know anything about desert or... or archaeological excavations!"

"You know hieroglyphics better than Kevin - the blond replied, ignoring the American's protests - We need you. Otherwise, Kevin will make some embarrassing translation errors."

"It will take a lot of money to organize everything..."

"Don't worry about money - Andrew said - I told you, I'll find idiots who will accept any amount to work with us." 

"Will they be honest people?" asked the archaeologist. 

"I mean, aren't they going to try to rob us?"

"I will not hire anyone who can try to abandon us in the middle of the desert to escape with the treasure."

"Before we do anything, can we wait for Wymack to return?"

"If you want to waste time..."

"Andrew, wait until tomorrow."

"If you want so ... at least let me inform me about the people we could contact in case of leaving." 

"Okay..."

Kevin almost didn't listen to them anymore. He felt aroused, a sensation he hadn't felt in years. Book or not, there was an entire city waiting to be discovered! 

The American was about to go back to his office when he felt a chill.

"Kevin, are you okay?" Nicky asked. 

Kevin nodded, "It seemed to me ... no, forget it. It's stupid."

"What is stupid?"

"I got the feeling that someone was watching us." 

"One of Moriyama's men?"

"No. Andrew, don't worry. It was just a feeling."

The ex legionnaire didn't seem convinced, but faced with Kevin's confidence, he just shrugged and walked away. 

Nicky was about to do the same, but Kevin stopped him, "Where are you going? You have to help me find all the books about Hamunatpra and the Book of the Dead!" 

The other man groaned. 

"It is necessary?"

"Yes! I don't want to be unprepared." 

"If you say so..." 

_______________________

Seth was tired. His arm ached and he suspected the wound in his side had reopened. He should have been checked, but the doctors were parasites, and he had no money. 

Every movement was agony, but Seth had to grit his teeth and keep looking after the shop. He needed the job in the bazaar, and he couldn't leave: it was the only job Seth had managed to get. 

Who else would have wanted a war invalid?

Mohammed had left him alone to collect the new stock, and the lack of customers didn't allow him to think about anything other than pain.

_"Opium... I need it... fuck! I can't take it anymore... if I had enough money... I could ask Allison ... she would understand... but her parents already hate me... if they knew ... "_

"Good morning, Gordon."

The man awoke from his thoughts. The last person he wanted to see entered the bazaar: Hafiz Adnan. He was tall and thin, dressed in an elegant Western suit, and had short black hair.

Hafiz could have been considered a handsome man, had he not had a smallpox ravaged part of his face.

"You owe me money, Gordon." 

Seth frowned, "I already gave you what I owed you."

"You didn't give me interest. 60%, remember?"

Seth bit the inside of his cheek, holding his tongue and trying not to show how tired he was. Damn bastard...

He had asked for a paltry amount at a time when his life sucked, and Seth had yet to finish paying. 

How disgusting! 

The man put on the best smile he could in that state, "Come on, aren't we friends? I'm sure you won't refuse the chance to give me some more time..."

Hafiz gave him a greasy smile before approaching with a casual step. As soon as he was in front of him he leaned slightly and whispered, "We're not friends, Gordon. You're wasting my time, and I'm not the one to do. I could talk to the Reynolds. They're sure they'll be delighted to hear what kind of man their daughter's boyfriend is. "

"You won't," Seth growled.

"And who's going to stop me? You? You can't even stand up without shaking. How long have you been abstinent?"

"None of your business."

"I would say a year. Maybe two? Don't you regret it, Gordon? Wouldn't you like to renew?"

"No, I don't want to," he lied, trying to sound convincing. 

The Egyptian just shook his head, "You're a liar Gordon. I can see in your face that you’re dying from a dose of opium. Too bad you can't afford it." 

He turned away from Seth, "I'll give you a month, Gordon. Then..." "Then you'll ruin my life," Seth finished bitterly.

"You can do it very well without my help - the other smiled at him ferociously - Remember, I want 100 Egyptian pounds. I don't care how you get it, you can also kill, as far as I'm concerned. But I want my money, Gordon."

"I can't do it in a month." 

"I've been too patient with you already." 

"Five months."

"No."

"You know it's an impossible figure for me to find in so little..." 

"A. Month - Hafiz lost his smile and a more serious expression than ever made its way to his face - Not a day more, and as I already told you: I don't care how you get it, but I want that money to have." 

The smile returned to his face and the man turned as he approached the exit, "See you in a month Gordon, and good luck, you'll need it."

Hafiz left, leaving Seth in deep despair.

The boy buried his head in his hands. _Damn addiction, damn Hafiz!_

What could he do? Asking Allison was out of the question. To steal? Not a chance. Kill? There was only one person who wanted dead, but he could not touch him. Seth could have asked Mohammed for a loan, but then the Egyptian would have asked him to work for free for who knows how long...

"You got yourself in a lot of trouble, Seth." 

Today was supposed to be the day of unwanted visits.

"Andrew ..."

The blond looked at the goods with a disinterested air, turning his back to Seth. 

The man hated when Minyard did this, as if whatever happened he didn't care. It was a behavior that had already made Seth want to strangle that blond devil back in the days of the Foreign Legion.

"What have you come to do? Mohammed is not here."

"I'm not here for him. I'm here for you." 

"Me?" 

"Don't be surprised, you just have the knowledge I need." 

"What knowledge?" 

"People willing to work for any amount." 

Seth twisted his mouth, "I don't like where this is going."

"Do you trust me so little?" 

"Yes, I do."

"You're slightly ungrateful, Seth. After all, I saved your life, didn't I?" The other man looked like he was about to swallow a toad before replying, "True, unfortunately. But you also caused me an opium addiction."

Andrew turned and looked blankly at him, " I gave you opium only once, to endure the pain of the still-open wound. It was you who chose to continue taking it. " 

"The pain didn't go away." 

"If you had gone to a doctor..." 

"It costs too much." 

"And doesn't opium cost?" 

"It's different."

Andrew raised an eyebrow, "How it's different?" 

Seth swallowed his discomfort, "None of your business."

"You're right. But I have to make sure you won't be playing tricks on me. Desperate people tend to do stupid things when they're desperate."

"I'm not stupid."

"Aren't you?" 

"I can totally kick you out of here without giving you the names you’re looking for, you know that?"

"I know. You've always been a hypocritical bastard. That's why I have something with me that could convince you - from a trouser pocket, the blond pulled out a gold ring. From that distance, Seth couldn't see it well, but it looked precious and ancient - I had it checked. It's worth more than that man asked you for."

"Where did you get that?" Seth asked.

"It didn't matter how I get it - he came over and placed the ring in front of Seth - Help me, give me the names, and this ring is yours, no interest, no refund requests. You pay off your debt, and you have enough money left to go and decently see your wound. Or to take other drugs. Do as you like."

It was a tempting offer, and too good to be true. Seth just had to recommend people who were honest enough to meet Andrew's requirements and who didn't risk being killed by him. And he knew some people who could work for him; "You have to look for Dan Wilds. Her father has abandoned her and her sisters and does any job to support the family. Matt Boyd is a former worker, but no one has called him since he had a drunken argument with his boss, but he's clean now. Erik Klose is new, but I haven't found anyone complaining about him. And then there's Renee Walker... "

Andrew interrupted him, "You know you. Are the others as reliable as you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Hmm..."

Andrew released the ring and turned around. Seth yelled, "Don't you want to know where to find them?"

“No, I can do this myself. Goodbye, Seth. And tell Mohammed to be careful about the people he does business with. It seems that grave robbers have gotten more greedy lately."

_______________________

When he got home that night, Kevin, reading the map, didn't notice a lot of things.

Most important: the window was open. The archaeologist never left the house without being sure he had closed everything, paranoia of years spent living with Tetsuji and Riko. 

But now, with the chance to free himself from the control of the Moriyama, Kevin was distracted. 

His mind wandered elsewhere, to tales of fabulous treasures and everything he could remember in the Book of the Dead.

He sat down on the sofa and lit the oil lamp he had left on the coffee table. Against the light, the papyrus looked fragile. Kevin was holding it carefully.

He remembered what he had discovered with Nicky, _“According to legend, Hamunatpra was built by Pharaoh Seti I during a plague that devastated Egypt. It was supposed to be a tribute to Anubis and Osiris, but it became the place to hide Seti's treasure... the sources are not clear on this... why transport the treasure to Hamunatpra, when there was already a tomb for the Pharaoh?_ _Unless that it wasn't an offering to the gods. But even then, Hamunatpra itself was an offering... and then why hide the Book of the Dead there? Seti I probably didn't want it to be found. Why? What..."_

A blade was pressed to his throat. A female voice behind him said, "Give me the map, and no harm will be done to you." 

Shit. Tetsuji had said that his enemies would try to stop Kevin's expedition, but the archaeologist did not expect the assassins to arrive so soon. 

Kevin swallowed, "Look, if the Mononoke clan sends you..." 

“I'm not here on anyone's behalf - the woman said, her voice harsh - That map shouldn't be here. It was stolen. "

"Stolen?" the American repeated stupidly. He shouldn't have been surprised. 

Really, it was Tetsuji Moriyama here. It was more likely that he had stolen the map rather than someone having given it to him spontaneously, especially considering that in Hamunatpra there was a treasure that anyone would have wanted to get their hands on.

“I'm sorry it was stolen from you. If you want, I'll give it back to you, but give me the chance to copy it and... " 

"No." 

"But…"

She pressed the knife harder to his throat, causing him to bleed. "You don't understand, Hamunatrpa is not to be found." 

"Why?! Do you know what benefits Egyptology could have ?! Whole pages of history could be rewritten! We could…"

"You could die - the woman retorted coldly - There is something hidden in Hamunatpra that must not be found. The city belongs to the dead, not to the living. Now give me the map. "

Anyone else, instead of Kevin, would have obeyed, and given the papyrus without thinking about it. 

But Kevin was stubborn and very, very impulsive. He took the lamp and threw it at the woman. She managed to dodge it, but it ended up on a curtain, and in a short time the flames licked the window and spread to the rest of the house.

"Fuck ..."

The map remained on the table, and he and the woman rushed to get it, grabbing it at the same time

"Give it to me." 

"No - Kevin growled - I need it!" 

"You'll get yourself killed!" 

"Tell me something I don't know!"

In the struggle, the map ripped in half. Kevin’s eyes ached out of horror. The woman did not look particularly impressed. 

She threw her part into the fire, and said, “Now you can't find the city of the dead. You are lucky. " 

Lucky? How could Kevin be considered lucky when his house was on fire, and he had just lost his map to find Hamunatrpa? 

Tetsuji will kill him, and destroy the museum. Or Riko will. He didn't know which of the two could be worse.

Kevin was about to throw himself into the flames to try to retrieve the map, but the woman held him back. 

"Leave me!" 

"You will kill yourself."

“Lord Tetsuji will kill me personally if I don't find him the Book of the Dead! Better get it over with now rather than... "

He was going to have a panic attack. She punched him and Kevin fell to the ground. 

"Damn... you hit hard..." 

And he lost consciousness. 

_"After all this time, you still can't hold the sword."_

_"I don't like fighting, general."_

_“You are an instigator of violence, Prince Ninetjer. Your father wants you to know how to defend yourself. "_

_"A little hypocritical, isn't it? He hasn't fought for years, yet he expects others to do so. "_

_"You don't have to talk about your father like that."_


	4. A chance

"Why didn't you kill him?"

Thea didn't flinch. Years of training had accustomed her to unpredictability, and Ardeth Bay was unpredictability personified. He said it was an advantage, so his enemies would never know what his next move would be. The woman thought it was just a way to confuse and have fun at the expense of others. But she admitted that it was advantageous, the leader of the Medjai could come and go anywhere without attracting attention. For their assignment, it was an essential skill. Thea didn't turn around, her gaze fixed on the fire, "Kevin Day is just a pawn. He doesn't deserve to die."

A snort, "No one is innocent, Thea. Day wants to find the city, ambition drives his actions."

"He seems to me just a lover of knowledge." 

"Some things are better left in oblivion. You know that too."

Nothing to replicate on that Hamunatpra had to remain a legend, a story to be told around the fire and to scare the most suggestible tourists. It was better that way.

If the Creature had awakened, no one would be safe. 

"The map is destroyed - she said - With the part he has left, Day won't be able to find Hamunatpra. I got the best result without bloodshed."

"What if he copied it?" 

"He didn't."

"How can you be sure?"

"Day asked me to copy it." 

"Didn't he memorize it?"

"It seems like no."

Bay thinned his lips, "It seems too simple."

"Aren't you happy?" 

"Experience has taught me that things that seem simple turn out to be a trap. Moreover..."

"What is worrying you?"

"Nathan's son is another problem to be solved. If he stopped running ..." "Mary trained him well."

Ardeth made a grimace, "Unfortunately for us, Nathaniel is good at hiding his tracks. We can't find him anymore." 

"Impossible."

"Apparently not for Nathaniel - Bay rubbed his eyes, tired - There are places that even we Medjai don't control, and he must know it. If we could reach him...who knows what Mary told Nathaniel about us...she will have convinced her son that we want him dead too..."

"Maybe it's good that it's impossible to trace him - Thea said - It means that even Nathan doesn't know where his son is."

"Or he may have already found Nathaniel." 

"In that case, we would know." 

"You're right, and that makes me hope the boy is safe." 

"Is it so necessary for Nathaniel to live? - Thea asked - You want to kill Day, but not the son of the traitor."

Ardeth was silent. Thea wanted to know what was going through the man's mind. The wait was making her nervous. 

Then he said, "The reasons I don't want Nathaniel to die are mine alone. You watch Day and make sure he gives up."

Thea nodded, "And what do we do with Tetsuji Moriyama?"

"Nothing, he is dying. Soon he will be in front of Osiris for his judgment." 

Bay looked up at the leaden sky, "A storm is coming, Thea. I wonder if we'll be ready to face it."

"What do...?" 

There was no longer anyone who could answer. Ardeth had disappeared. 

"Obviously - the Medjai muttered - He will have gone to look for Nathaniel." 

Thea didn't understand why Ardeth cared so much about Nathaniel, but she knew it was mattering for him to find the boy. 

All these years, Bay had looked for him, sent his best men to the most remote places in Egypt. For her it was a waste, Nathaniel was the son of a traitor and a thief, he didn't deserve all that care. 

But Thea was no one to question Ardeth's decisions. He didn't have time to think about Bay's strange obsession. He was supposed to watch the American archaeologist. "Don't make me regret saving your life, Kevin Day..." 

_______________________

When Kevin regained consciousness, he was in a makeshift bed at the local hospital.

The hospital in Cairo looked more like a hospital, full of desperate people and people too poor to afford anything better. 

His head ached, and he felt confused. What happened? Kevin didn't remember drinking so much that he passed out. 

"Well, you're awake. Now I can kill you."

"Andrew? What ..." 

"Wymach sent me to find you. I went through all the bars before I knew your house was on fire. What the fuck did you do? Were you drunk?"

Beside the bed, the ex legionary stared at him frowning, almost annoyed at being forced to come there.

He was not wrong, this place was a hellish pit. Kevin must have been in a bad state to be here. It must have been that woman who brought him there and...

He sat up abruptly on the bed, but the sudden movement made him nauseous and increased his headache. 

"Idiot, what are you doing?" 

"The woman ... the map ... she wanted ... fuck, I was so close..."

"What are you talking about?" Andrew asked.

Kevin took a shaky breath, "There was a woman in my house. I don't know how she got in, but she threatened me with a knife. She wanted the map. I threw the lamp at her, and..."

"And you burned everything, " Andrew finished.

Kevin's shoulders slumped, "I was in a panic. I didn't want to destroy my house ... but the worst is another."

"Worse than risking to be burnt?"

"The map is destroyed. I only have a part left, but it is useless. Lord Moriyama will kill me." >

"I won't let him," Andrew said gravely.

Kevin wanted to laugh, "Oh no, you can't defend me either."

"So far, it has gone well." 

"Lord Moriyama didn't want me dead. Not yet. But without the map..."

"Didn't you make a copy? Don't you remember what was written on it?"

"I don't have your memory, Andrew - Kevin replied - And I didn't think there was a need to make a copy because the papyrus was in good condition."

"Didn't you expect Moriyama's enemies to send someone?"

"Not so soon! Damn it, I'm in shit!" 

Kevin put his head in his hands. He needed a bottle of whiskey, better two. The American didn't want to be aware when Tetsuji sends a hitman to kill him. 

"Nicky." 

Kevin lifted his head, "Nicky? What's he got to do with it?"

"You didn't make a copy of the map. But what about Nicky?"

The archaeologist blinked a couple of times, "I don't know. I was so focused… maybe he did… I don't know, it seems unlikely." 

"Why?" 

"I wouldn't have done that."

"There is a possibility that Nicky did it."

"Maybe... "

"As soon as they get you out of this hell, we'll go to the museum and ask Nicky," Andrew said, without changing his tone of voice.

Kevin wished he had the same cool as Andrew, but he could think of nothing but Tersuji Moriyama's smile and the revolver at his head. If he was lucky. Judging from how things had turned out in his life, it was unlikely. 

"What if there isn't a copy?" Kevin asked. 

"We will find an alternative." 

Basically, Andrew was telling him to prepare his obituary. Kevin groaned. It will be a long day.

_______________________

A few hours later, they left the hospital. Nobody stopped them, the doctors were happy to be able to get rid of someone and to have a bed available. Kevin felt shattered. He walked lost in his thoughts, often bumping into passers-by. 

At one point, he even felt a hand slip into his back pocket. Probably, it was a thief. The archaeologist imagined the thief's disappointment in seeing that his victim was more miserable than him. When they finally got to the museum, they found David Wymack waiting for them.

“Day! Can you know where you were ?! " the man shouted, striding towards them.

"I was in the hospital," was his reply.

“In the hospital? What the hell happened to you? Have you drunk too much again? "

"Director, I've never been soberer than today - Kevin retorted, regretting not being able to convince Andrew to go for a drink at Eden's - Someone broke into my house to look for the map."

"Map? Which map? "

"It's a long story…" 

Wymack rubbed his eyes, “Got it, let's go to my office. At least I'll be able to find out what the hell is going on and why people came to the museum this morning and told me they were hired for an archaeological expedition in the desert."

Andrew said, “That's my fault. I didn't think they were desperate enough to come here right away. "

"Of course, it was you - the man sighed - A normal day of work, that's all I ask."

Kevin said, “I'd love that too. If Lord Moriyama doesn't kill me, stress will do it. "

“Moriyama? What the hell…"

"I told you, director. It's a long story."

_______________________

The room smelled of smoke and old papyrus. Kevin's gaze lingered, as usual, a few seconds on the bookcase that occupied the left side of the room, so cluttered with tomes in half a dozen languages that it hardly had any space left. The light from the window on the opposite side of the room illuminated the spines of the books. It made them glow. On the mahogany desk were a telephone, several files, and a statuette of some Egyptian deity, perhaps the latest purchase from the museum that was passing the scrupulous eyes of the director to see if it was worth displaying. 

Wymack said, "Let's review __ the facts, shall we? Yesterday, Moriyama came here to ask you to find the Book of the Dead, hidden in a legendary city, convinced in his madness that he can save his miserable life thanks to some magical Egyptian rite. You accepted after he gave you a map for Hamunatpra. It was destroyed by a woman who tried to kill you. So, did I... did I miss anything?"

Kevin replied, "The map is not completely destroyed. Part of it was saved." 

"Is it useful for finding the city of the dead?"

"No, it's not. But maybe Nicky made a copy and..."

"And if there was a copy, would you leave?"

"Well..." 

The director said, "Nobody thought to warn me about this whole mess first?" 

"Obviously!" 

Wymack raised an eyebrow.

Kevin sighed as he rolled his eyes, "Okay, maybe I was planning on hinting at it only when we were about to leave, and even if it was? What's the problem?"

"The problem is, this is a crazy idea. It could be a Moriyama trap to kill you."

"We thought about it, Director. Nicky and I analyzed the papyrus, we studied it and we were sure it was original." 

"And the Book of the Dead?" 

"I'm not sure it's really hidden in Hamunatpra. I'm interested in the city of the dead, and the treasure of Seti I." 

"Kevin, you took a job for Moriyama. Do you know what that means?" 

The archaeologist hesitated, "I risk dying if I don't find what Lord Moriyama wants."

"Exactly."

"Well, with all due respect, director, it's not like Lord Moriyama gave me a choice as to whether to accept it or not ..."

The man rubbed his temples, "Sometimes, I seriously wonder if you are a smart man or rather an idiot with a great chutzpah and an apparent limitless dose of luck."

"I've never been lucky."

"Then you're an unfortunate idiot. The greatest idiot I've ever met. And it takes some, I've been dealing with Carter for years." 

A pause, then Wymack said, "Clearly, I can't stop you. You have to leave to save your life. But you can't do it without a map."

"Our only hope is Nicky." 

"What if the copy isn't there?" 

"Believe me, director, it is better to hope there is. Especially for me." "True, you are a decent collaborator, it would be difficult to find a valid replacement."

"Director, your concern for me is moving." 

"I'd rather keep you than risk working with Carter again. Get a move on and go find Hemmick. Come on, what are you still doing here?"

The two did not have it repeated twice and went away, headed for the library. Once there, they found Nicky climbing a ladder with two books in hand. 

"Nicky, get out," Andrew ordered him. 

"I'm coming, just a moment ..." the cousin murmured, as he put both books under one arm and reached out to take one slightly out of reach.

He leaned out a little, tongue between his teeth and a focused expression on his face, "I'm almost there ..."

"Um, Nicky?"

"Just a moment..."

Unfortunately, Nicky didn't realize he was leaning too far from the ladder, until he felt lopsided forward. In a panic, Nicky grabbed tightly to the ladder, but in doing so he let slip the two tomes that hit Kevin's foot. 

"Fuck! Nicky! Did you want to kill me?"

"I have not done it on purpose!" 

Nicky quickly climbed down the ladder and took the books. He looked at his friends, "Why are you here? Didn't you have to go talk to the expedition director?" 

"We were with him until a few minutes ago," Andrew said.

"What he said?"

"He gave us his permission. But there's a problem." 

"My god. What problem?" 

"We no longer have the map - Kevin revealed to him - Now it's a long story, you just need to know that it was destroyed in a fire."

"Fire?" 

"Because of it, my house is completely destroyed."

"What?" 

"Nicky, focus. This is not important."

"A fire destroyed your house, and you don't think it's important?"

Kevin shrugged, "I spend most of my time in the office."

"But..."

"We're not here to talk about Kevin's bad habits - Andrew interrupted Nicky- We want to know if you've made a copy of the papyrus."

"Er ..." 

The archaeologist groaned, "Please don't tell me you didn't." 

"If you want, I won't tell you, but ..." 

Kevin ran a hand through his hair. What did he expect? A miracle? What an idiot! 

"It's over - Kevin whimpered - I'm dead."

"Don't be pessimistic."

"No, Nicky, I am really dead. Lord Moriyama doesn't forgive. If I don't find a way to find Hamunatpra, he will kill me."

Andrew frowned, but said nothing. Kevin sighed, "I'm going to my office. I think there's still a bottle of vodka hidden somewhere. I need a drink."

_______________________

Kevin's office was a mess. He had been so happy the day before that he hadn't thought of putting things in order. The stale and stale smell assailed the nostrils making anyone who stepped inside them turn up their noses. 

Scattered around the desk and the floor of the room were papers, notes, and books. 

He and Nicky had read those books late. They needed to know everything about Hamunatpra, such as the possible traps they might find. It had been useless. How could they leave without even knowing where to go? God, he wished he had Andrew's memory and remembered everything he read. 

The map would now be in his head, and no one could destroy it.

"I need the vodka."

He went to the desk, but tripped over something. 

With several curses Kevin got down on his knees, feeling his face to make sure he hadn't broken his nose. It would have been the ideal end to a morning that started badly and ended worse. He had tripped over the star-shaped box Andrew had brought him. He took it. There were hieroglyphs that he hadn't noticed.

_ Gift of Seti I to the god Osiris. May He be compassionate and welcome the dead to the city... _

The next part was unreadable, but Kevin felt suddenly euphoric.

Gift of Seti I. City of the dead. It could only mean one thing.

Kevin got up and ran out. He needed to talk to Andrew. Fortunately for the American, he found Andrew outside the library. 

"Where did you get that?" the archaeologist asked him, short of breath from the race.

Andrew lit a cigarette, "There was this thief who thought he was smarter than me. You just need to know that I paid him back with his own medicine."

Kevin walked up to him, "Who was the thief?"

"What?"

"Who was he? Where were you? I need any clue to find him."

Andre shrugged, "I don't know who he was, I don't care about street rats."

"Well, you should be interested in this particular rat." 

"Why?" 

"For this! - Kevin lifted the box and read aloud -  _ Gift of Seti I to the god Osiris. May He be compassionate and welcome the dead to the city... _ Do you understand what that means?" 

"No."

"This box comes from Hamunatpra! What another city of the dead could one refer to?" 

"Maybe he's referring to the afterlife? I don't know, you're the expert."

Kevin shook his head, "In ancient Egyptian mythology, the fields of Aaru is the paradise where Osiris rules. The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul resides in the heart and so, upon death, the Weighing of the Heart occurred. Each human heart is weighed on a giant scale against an ostrich feather, which represents the concept of Maat. Those souls which balance the scales are allowed to start a long and perilous journey to the Field... ok, I'm digressing. What I mean, above is not a reference to the afterlife, but to the city of the dead, namely Hamunatpra."

"So this box could come from Hamunatpra?"

"Exactly! If we find the thief, we can know the location of the city! He was there!" 

Andrew finally seemed to show interest. 

"If the thief has been there, he knows the way to Hamunatpra. And if we find him, you will have a guide."

"Exact!"

"We have a problem. I haven't the faintest idea where the thief is."

"Where did you last see him?"

"In an alley half asleep from drugs." 

"What?" 

"I had to get the box back somehow."

"It doesn't matter what you did. Listen, we have to find this thief. If he knows where Hamunatpra is, he could save my ass."

Andrew grinned, "And do you know how difficult it is to find a thief in Cairo? As far as we know, he may be dead. Given the state he was in when I last saw him, that's not a possibility I would rule out. "

"I'd rather think he's alive. I need him."

"You are really desperate if you want to ask a thief for help - Andrew commented - Okay, alright. I'll take care of it. I know who to contact."

Kevin didn't bother to ask whether the other wanted to use legal methods or not. What mattered to him was that someone could replace the lost map and save his life. He will find Hamunatpra, whatever the cost.

_ So it was that Kevin had to wait a month to meet the mysterious thief... _

**Author's Note:**

> \- Fusion with The Mummy, but I made some changes and added new characters.  
> \- English isn't my first language, so I'm sorry for any errors.


End file.
